ACCES-VR Peer Integration

The Regional Center for Independent Living (RCIL) was awarded grant funding from the New York State Department of Education in 2016 to pilot a three year Peer Integration program in parternship with our local ACCES-VR office in Rochester, New York. As a result of these funds, RCIL hired two Peer Independent Living Service Specialists to work out of the ACCES-VR office. Each Peer Specialist will work with 100 ACCES-VR consumers per year, one-on-one, to provide core Independent Living services with the goal of obtaining a job. They will additionally deliver group trainings to ACCES-VR consumers based on Independent Living skills and the services they identify as most critical or necessary during their one-on-ones, and from topic suggestions provided by ACCES-VR counselors. Peer Specialists will also deliver group technical assistance trainings to ACCES-VR counselors on topics they request.

If you would like to learn more about this program, or any of the various programs and services RCIL provides, please contact us directly at (585) 442-6470 or info@rcil.org.